Armored vehicles are threatened by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) designed to cause harm to the vehicle and its occupants. IEDs are typically one or more grouped artillery shells redeployed and detonated in an effort to inflict casualties. Harm from these devices typically comes in the form of high pressure blast energy and ballistic fragmentation in the following predominant ways: (1) rapid surface pressure and destructive hull deformation resulting in hull breach and direct occupant exposure to blast pressures and intense heat; (2) high velocity, hull and/or floor accelerations resulting in occupant incapacities; and (3) high velocity fragmentation passing through armor and impacting occupants.
Armor countermeasures typically consist of heavy metal plates placed between the threat and the vehicle in such a way as to resist hull breach and aggressive floor accelerations. These heavy metal plates also work in concert with layers of additional metal, ceramic, composite or plastic materials designed to prevent lethal high velocity artillery shell fragments from entering the vehicle. The heavy metal plates are typically mounted to the underside of the vehicle in a V-shape in an effort to take advantage of shape efficiency and deflection characteristics when presented with incoming pressure and fragmentation. Carrying heavy blast and fragment resistant hulls results in significant performance disadvantage to the vehicle in terms of reduced fuel economy, lost cargo capacity and increased transportation shipping costs, as well as, weight challenges for the environment the vehicles operate in.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to attach and detach a blast protection structure, specifically through the interior floor of the vehicle cabin, depending on the requirements of the situation and environment the vehicle will be subjected to. The present device is a blast protection structure, which includes a blast floor structure or panels having integrated fasteners for attachment to the exterior of the vehicle through the interior of the cabin. Because all of the fasteners are accessible from the inside of the cabin, the blast protection structure can be attached without disassembly of major vehicle components. In addition, accessibility of the fasteners from inside the vehicle avoids the necessity of the technician to be under the vehicle to secure the blast structure, which improves overall safety. Finally, while the fasteners are secured through the interior of the vehicle, they do not pass through the exterior blast structure after attachment. Attachment of the fasteners in this manner maintains the structural integrity of the blast structure. The present blast structure is designed to protect the occupants from blast energy and fragmentation, and offers a simple, cost-effective means for adding additional protection to the vehicle.